The YWCA Greenwich has announced the ten winners of its annual "Brava" Awards. The awards, which were established in 1977, recognize outstanding women achievers who have excelled in their professional careers, who live or work in Greenwich or Stamford and who are mentors in their community.

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Atkins is a licensed psychologist and relationship expert with a private psychology practice in New York City, who for more than 35 years has focused on women's health, work and family concerns; aging well; adaptation to childhood or adult disability; and handling transitions and stress while maintaining a balanced and meaningful life. She is regarded as a pioneer in the field of family relationships, particularly focusing on the needs of spouses, parents, adult children and siblings as they adapt to life with someone who has a chronic illness or disability.

Among her books are "Sanity Savers," "Wedding Sanity Savers," "I'm OK, You're My Parents," "Sisters," "From the Heart," "Families and Their Hearing Impaired Children" and "NO! GO! TELL! A Protection Curriculum for Children with Special Needs." She writes for parenting, audiology and psychology texts as well as popular and professional journals and is working on a book about Alzheimer's and a book about charitable children.

An on-screen expert for documentaries, and educational films, Atkins is a recurring guest expert in the media, regularly commenting about social issues on NBC's "The Today Show" and CNN's "Headline News."

She serves on the boards of several local and national nonprofit organizations focused on literacy, tolerance, wellness, child protection and community action and she and her dog are a certified "dog therapy team" that visits assisted living facilities and schools. Atkins received a B.S. from New York University, her M.A. from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles. She and her husband, Rob Rosen, live in Greenwich and have two sons, two daughters-in-law and five grandchildren, with a sixth due in Feb.

Autore is president, chief executive officer and a board director at Laurel House, Inc., a nonprofit organization headquartered in Stamford that provides "Resources to Recover" for people living with mental illness and their families across eight communities, including Greenwich, in Fairfield County. Autore is leading the expansion of Laurel House's programs and services outbound into the communities where program participants live, work and go to school with a new focus on early intervention and improved outcomes for young adults and their families.

As an operating executive and cause marketer in the healthcare and technology industries, Autore has translated 15 years of IBM experience to hands-on operating roles leading transformation and growth in both public and private companies. Her prior leadership roles include president, chief executive officer and board director of Moore Medical in New Britain (now a division of McKesson); president, chief executive officer and board director of Electric Mobility in Sewell, N.J.; and president and general manager of PDI, the Healthcare Division of Nice-Pak Products in Orangeburg, N.Y. She is a former board director of Women's Business Development Council (WBDC) and has been a board member of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) and the Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA). She is a member of the board of directors of Silver Hill Hospital and a member of the Quality of Care, Strategic Planning, and Marketing Committees. In addition, Autore is chair of the Greater Stamford/Greenwich Continuum of Care to End Homelessness, a board member of Supportive Housing Works and a member of CT Women's Forum.

Autore received her B.A. and M.A. with honors from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pa. She and her husband, Gene, have been residents of Norwalk for 21 years and have three adult children.

Brecker is managing director in the J.P. Morgan Private Bank and leads a team of seasoned professionals in Greenwich. She has extensive experience in developing private client relationships and advising families of substantial wealth in Connecticut and New York. She was recognized in 2008 by Connecticut Magazine as one of the top 10 financial advisors in Connecticut and by Barron's in 2009 for the same distinction.

Brecker has spent more than 20 years in the financial industry. Before being recruited to join JP Morgan in 1997, she held positions with Bankers Trust and Chemical Bank covering institutional clients.

Brown is responsible for creating an environment of nursing excellence in the Patient Care Services Department at Greenwich Hospital. Her nursing career began in New York, followed by a stint at University Hospitals of Cleveland and then management positions in Florida. She first came to Greenwich Hospital as nurse manager in obstetrics and pediatrics and was instrumental in the creation of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the Perinatology programs. She later became director of Women's and Infants' Health at St. Vincent's Hospital in Bridgeport.

Brown returned to Greenwich as the program director for Women's and Children's Services and assumed her current position in 2008. She has been instrumental in establishing numerous community programs for women and their families. Her vision for the implementation of various Perinatal and Women's curricula resulted in the creation of more than 20 classes and programs available to the community. She has also been published in several professional journals for her work revolving around the education of patients prior to and after discharge.

As chief nursing officer, Brown has established the practice of Bedside Shift Report, which enables patients to participate in their daily plan of care. She has also successfully implemented a "Fall Prevention Program" which has increased the safety for "at risk" patients while in the hospital.

Brown has a nursing degree from Adelphi University and a master's degree from Columbia University. She and her husband, Dr. Jeffrey Brown, a pediatrician, reside in White Plains, N.Y. and are parents in a blended family of four adult children and seven grandchildren.

Greer became senior portfolio officer at the Greenwich office of BNY Mellon Wealth Management 10 years ago, after managing a New York City-based team of portfolio managers for the firm. Her 16-year tenure at BNY Mellon Wealth Management has centered on managing discretionary, fiduciary and foundation assets for affluent individuals and families.

Greer received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from SUNY at Buffalo. Her Applied Public Affairs thesis research unexpectedly led to an offer to join the Management Trainee Program at Buffalo Savings Bank.

Soon after joining the program, Greer was recruited to interview for a position in the Corporate Treasury Group. After 10 years of managing a broad array of the bank's portfolios, Greer co-partnered to form Marshall Shear & Co., an independent, SEC-registered investment advisory firm managing institutional and personal assets. With Buffalo Savings Bank (aka Goldome) as their first client, the firm grew its client base in the northeast and mid-west regions over the next eight years.

Greer's past volunteer, committee and board involvement includes The United Way of Buffalo & Erie County, The Blind Association of WNY, Haven House, YWCA of Bergen County, Bergen Regional Medical Center Advisory Council, NJ Association of Women Business Owners, Good Shepherd Hospital Auxiliary, Junior Achievement, The Women's Business Development Council, The Fund for Women & Girls and involvement with the Norwalk public schools. Most recently, she has become involved with Under One Roof, Inc., providing independent living for seniors and childcare services in Norwalk.

Greer and her husband, Bill, live in East Norwalk and are the parents of four (almost) grown children.

Joli Gross

Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Secretary

United Rentals, Inc.

Gross was named vice president-deputy general counsel and assistant secretary for United Rentals in Greenwich in 2006, four years after she joined the company as director of legal affairs. In her current role, Gross handles all facets of legal work for the $4 billion company including, but not limited to, mergers and acquisitions; divestitures; leasing, selling and purchasing commercial real estate; negotiating multi-million dollar sales, construction, environmental, marketing, software and other general contracts; negotiating with brokers, landlords, lenders and field operations; managing litigation; performing due diligence; preparing general corporate documents; and drafting board and committee minutes.

Prior to United Rentals, Gross was an associate with the law firm of Day Pitney LLP, specializing in commercial real estate transactions; and an associate with Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP, handling civil litigation and transactional real estate matters.

Gross holds a juris doctorate degree from the New England School of Law, where she served on the staff of The New England Law Review. She is admitted to practice law in N.Y., N.J., Conn. and Mass. In addition, Gross holds a bachelor of arts degree cum laude from Boston University, a Certificate in Business Excellence from Columbia Business School, and completions in English and Political Science from the honors program at McGill University.

Gross has served on the board of directors of the American Red Cross Metro New York chapter since 2005, and has served as secretary of the board since September 2010. She also serves on the Family Centers board and is a member of their Bright Beginnings Committee. She was appointed communication chair of the Stanwich School Parent Association Board earlier this year.

Gross lives in Cos Cob with her family, including two daughters: Cami, an eighth grader; and Ellie, a kindergartner, both at The Stanwich School.

She attended Barnard College and the Jewish Theological Seminary's Double Degree Program where she received two bachelor degrees, one in Biology and the other in Bible. She went to medical school at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons and then continued on to Cornell/New York Hospital for her three years of internal medicine training.

In 1995, Dr. Israel joined the medical faculty at Stamford Hospital and became the Medical Director of the Ambulatory Clinics and the Associate Residency Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program, where she remained for 11 years. During this time, she started the Women Physician Group of Stamford Hospital, where women physicians meet for professional, social and networking sessions several times a year. During these hospital-based years, Israel was involved in numerous hospital and educational committees.

In 2006, Israel and her family took a "sabbatical" year to Jerusalem, where her husband, David, was granted a fellowship for senior educators to study at the Hebrew University. In Jerusalem, she volunteered several days a week on rounds and in clinics at Hadassah Hospital, in addition to taking classes in archeology, history and Bible.

Upon her return in 2007, Israel joined the Internal Medicine practice of PrimeCare Medical in Stamford. This group became part of Stamford Health Integrated Physicians (SHIP) in October 2011.

Israel has served on the board of her children's elementary school, Bicultural Day School and has been very involved in the youth programming of her synagogue, Young Israel of Stamford. She continues to organize and run the Stamford Hospital Women Physician Group. She currently serves on the board of her practice's condominium association and is also very active in the Jewish Burial Society in Stamford.

Israel has been married to her husband, David, for 24 years and they have four children: Adina, 18, who is spending her "gap" year, studying abroad in Israel before beginning Barnard College in the Fall; Yoni, 16, a junior at SAR High School in Riverdale; Ari, 13, an eighth grader at Bicultural, and Eytan, 10, a fifth grader at Bicultural.

Yumi Mera Kuwana is the Founding Principal of Cook Pine Capital LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisory firm in Greenwich that specializes in creating customized hedge fund portfolios for high net worth families. She handles business development, office management and finance at the firm.

With more than 24 years of financial experience on Wall Street, she also performs consulting services for her clients on a selective basis through Cook Pine Solutions LLC; these services include securing global partnerships and assisting in formulating strategic growth plans in addition to advising clients with family specific and customized solutions.

Prior to founding her firm, Kuwana helped start up Giftken.com, the Japanese affiliate of GiftCertificates.com, where she served as a board member and oversaw the business expansion efforts in the Japanese markets. Prior to Giftken.com, she was a vice president at Morgan Stanley & Co. in Japan and a senior member in the institutional research sales area for Japanese equities and derivative products. Her major clients included top-tier hedge funds and global money management firms.

Kuwana has spent half her life in Japan and half her life in the U.S., and recently conducted a study on multilingualism and multiculturalism, which led to a research paper on how to raise well-adjusted and globally-minded children, or "global citizens." In addition, after the triple disaster in Japan on March 11, 2011, she focused on fund-raising efforts for the victims in Tohoku, Japan, and also is working to find ways to reinvigorate Japan as a country through the U.S.-Japan Council's Entrepreneurship Initiative and other philanthropic and innovative endeavors.

Kuwana has served as a board member of YWCA Greenwich and Brava co-chair for the past four years. She is also active with the Japanese American Association of N.Y., Women's Forum in New York, Harvard Business School Women's Association of Greater N.Y., HBS Club of CT., and the Penn Club of Fairfield County.

Kuwana received a B.S. degree from the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Harvard University. She has three children and resides in Greenwich with her husband, Eiichiro Kuwana.

Mufson is director, corporate citizenship and philanthropy for Pitney Bowes Inc., and president of the Pitney Bowes Foundation, a position she has held since 2005. She leads the company's global corporate citizenship communications efforts and is responsible for the philanthropic strategy and operations of Pitney Bowes and the Pitney Bowes Foundation.

Under her leadership, Pitney Bowes has expanded the global reach of its corporate citizenship programs, focusing on literacy and education and employee involvement. Her organization has achieved year-over-year improvement in the number of students served and hours of academic enrichment provided through its grants. Through strong collaborations and strategic alignments, they' have advanced their community impact, launching the company's first global signature volunteer program, "Share the Message: Read!," which engages employees worldwide in literacy initiatives.

The Pitney Bowes Foundation works to address the achievement gap and support workforce preparedness in partnership with global, national and regional nonprofit groups, including Reading Is Fundamental, Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship, Everybody Wins!, the National Urban League and National Center for Family Literacy.

Mufson also leads communications of the company's corporate responsibility practices, including the development of the company's Corporate Responsibility report. In her 27-year career with the company, Mufson has led communications and marketing for corporate functions and business units including brand development, advertising, annual report development and event management.

Mufson serves on the boards of Stamford Achieves and Literacy Volunteers of Stamford-Greenwich. She volunteers as an ESL tutor, a reading mentor, a Special Olympics volunteer and Safe Rides parent volunteer.

She earned a B.A. in English from Montclair State University and an M.B.A. in Marketing from the University of Connecticut. She is also a graduate of Boston College's Carroll School of Management's Corporate Citizenship Academy and the Darden School of Management's Executive Education leadership training. Mufson and her husband, Paul, have two daughters, Hannah and Devyn.

Jennifer D. Port

Managing Partner, Ivey, Barnum & O'Mara, LLC

An attorney specializing in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, and tax exempt entities, Port has worked with multiple generations of family members in the 30 years that she has been practicing law in N.Y. and Conn. Port received her bachelor's degree from Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., pursued a masters degree in sociology at New York University and obtained her law degree from the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University.

Port practiced law in New York City for 14 years before joining Ivey Barnum & O'Mara in 1995. While living in New York, she was active in many charitable organizations, but devoted the majority of her time to serving for more than 10 years as a director and trustee of The Jewish Guild for the Blind and JGB Healthcare Facilities. During that period, Port was the chairman of the organization's Compensation and Pension Committee, chairman of the ladies luncheon and co-chairman of various fundraising efforts.

Since moving to Greenwich nearly 18 years ago, Port has become actively involved in both the Greenwich community and her law firm. She is a past director of the Transportation Association of Greenwich, and has been a director and officer of various private foundations for the past 15 years. In addition, she is a director and legal counsel to the Greenwich Scholarship Association, where she is actively involved in long range planning for the organization.

Port lives in Greenwich with her husband, Jerry, and two dogs. Her children, Amanda and Josh, are freshmen in college. Prior to her children's leaving for college, Port was involved in projects at both Rye Country Day School and Eagle Hill School.